TransformSK report far more interesting than ugly protests

Steve McLellan, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, holds up TransformSK, a report on how to improve business and life in Saskatchewan, at the Hotel Saskatchewan in Regina on April 24, 2017.TROY FLEECE / Regina Leader-Post

It appears reasonability doesn’t take one very far in political discourse these days.

As we see to the south of us, the more you obstreperously oppose everything, the more likely you are to get your way. Just yell louder. Be more threatening. Your tribe will eventually get its way … although you might not necessarily like what you get.

Politics has also always been tribal. Seldom have tribes been so uncivil. Gone is the reasoned argument.

Sadly, at last week’s rally/protests against Premier Brad Wall’s Saskatchewan Party fundraising dinner, we saw some embrace the Trump-era tactics … although we need to quickly keep this in perspective.

The vast majority of Saskatoon protesters were well-behaved. They were not jumping on cars or swearing or giving the finger to those paying $250 a ticket to gain access to Wall and the Sask. Party government cabinet. (Yes, that is an issue meritorious of protest.)

That unfairly portrays the majority who weren’t being ignorant, self-indulgent idiots, and had a strong, collective message to bring concerning the Sask. Party government’s 2017-18 budget cuts and how one of its bigger problems is favouritism to business that is still clearly buying access. There again, just one neo-Nazi skinhead tends to become a dominate image at a Trump rally.

Protest all you want. Even post pictures of Porsches, Mercedes (and, of course, CPR company vehicles) driving into Wall’s dinner, if you feel that helps. But when you do something ignorant, stupid and illegal, you lose.

Alas, the bigger-picture problem is that such bad behaviour isn’t only counterproductive for the perpetrators. It detracts from conversation as a whole that should be about ideas and sensible alternatives.

For losing sight of this, may I offer my own apologies. And allow me to make amends by revisiting one reasoned discussion last week that didn’t get near enough play.

The timing would have been better had the report arrived before all the carnage in the 2017-18 March 22 budget presentation. After all, the business nature of these organizations gives them a certain sway with this government.

That said, of the 45 calls to action, many focused on long-term economic prosperity, but many also took a surprisingly serious look at how social issues are integrated with business ones. The result is a lot of reason.

Besides practical considerations like “a five-year rolling financial planning cycle within the Government of Saskatchewan and all Saskatchewan municipalities” and “Transition Deputy Ministers to departmental, competency-based Chief Executive Officers,” the report’s recommendations touch on key political issues of the day like “Clearly defining the long-term role of Crown corporations,” and “consider legislative changes authorizing municipalities to generate reasonable own-source revenue.”

Such advice would have been immensely helpful to the Wall government, pre-budget.

And in a fair-minded way, the business leaders’ report hits on important social issues that call on government to:

“Fully consult on, review, and execute a ‘Saskatchewan response’ to the calls to action outlined within Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) report.”

A “graduated plan to expand the role of Indigenous Peoples in government procurement.”

“Commit, at all levels of government, to a Saskatchewan Students’ Charter.”

“Ensure ‘money follows the need’ — that schools receive the necessary funds to react to changing special needs realities throughout the year.”‘

“Immediately shift policies and resources toward preventative and community-based service to reduce the ‘downstream’ financial pressure on the acute care system,” and

“Pilot, for full-scale evaluation, a universal basic income (UBI) program.”

A business report considering universal basic income?

Now, that’s a lot more interesting than some protester giving a Wall supporter the finger and the Wall supporter returning the gesture in kind.

One only wishes all would listen to reasoned argument as well as the TransformSK group has.

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